A Time For Change
by niandamlena
Summary: Things are changing for Damon and Elena
1. Chapter 1

A Time For Change

Chap 1

Elena was too quiet for Damon's liking as he drove her home from the hospital. She really hadn't said much since she'd come back, come back from the dead. Elena was now a vampire. Thanks to the vampire blood Dr Fell used to heal her head injury the previous day and no thanks to Stefan who left her to die in the lake. Elena just watched the night pass by as he drove.

"What are you thinking about?" Damon asked

"What do you think I'm thinking about Damon?" Elena replied. She was angry at what had become of her. She'd never wanted this for herself.

"Elena I know how you feel but what's done is done. Stefan and I are going to help you through this. Everything will be ok."

"No Damon you don't know how I feel. You can't possibly know." Elena argued

Damon wasn't going to argue with her. She was still too new to be reasoned with. Her emotions were still too on edge.

"Where are we going?" Elena asked

"To my place."

"Damon I want to go home." Elena complained

"That's not a good idea right now Elena."

"Why not?"

"Because we haven't told Jeremy anything yet. Plus you haven't fed and until you do, which needs to be soon, you are a danger to him. So until you are in control you need to stay with us." Damon explained.

Elena was quiet again until they were almost to the boarding house. "I haven't decided if I'm going to yet." Elena finally said.

"Going to what?" Damon asked as he pulled into his driveway.

"Feed" She said

"Elena you only have 2 choices. You feed or you die. There is no third choice." Damon said.

Elena looked at Damon with her eyes full of sadness, "I know that Damon."

Damon didn't follow Elena into the house. Instead he sat in the car stunned at what she'd said. He didn't want to lose her again. This was his second chance. He wanted his chance. It was selfish and he knew it but his love for her went beyond all rational thinking. He'd do everything he could to get her to feed and finish the transition. Damon finally got out of the car and went into the house. Stefan was coming down the stairs.

"Where's Elena?" Damon asked

"She went up to your room. She wants no part of me. She wouldn't even look at me." Stefan said.

"I wouldn't look at you either if you'd let me drown."

"I did what she wanted me to do Damon. I got Matt out of the truck. It's what she wanted. What would you have done?"

"I would have ignored her and got her out of that truck. Elena always has and always will come first. She would have hated me but she's hated me before and gotten over it." Damon said

"That wasn't what she wanted Damon." Stefan argued.

"I don't care what she wanted. Now she's become something she never wanted to be, but we have an even bigger problem. She doesn't want to feed."

"That's he choice Damon."

Damon looked at his brother like he had 2 heads. "Did you really just say that? I mean, I know I heard it but I can't believe you said it. Do you love Elena at all because I'm beginning to wonder."

"You know how I feel about Elena and part of that is respecting her decisions. If she doesn't want to feed and finish the transition we can't force her." Stefan said.

"No we can't but I'm going to go talk to her." Damon said and started up the stairs.

Elena was sitting in a chair by the window. She hadn't turned on any lights she could see just fine without them. She sat watching the other creatures of the night roaming through the trees in the woods outside the Salvatore property. She heard the bedroom door open and close but hadn't made any effort to acknowledge the person who'd come into the room. From the scent she knew it was Damon. He smelled delicious.

"Elena can we talk?" Damons voice came out of the darkness.

"I really don't have anything else to say Damon."

"Then just listen to me. Elena you have a second chance. I know it's not the life you wanted but it's a life. Take it for what it is and make the best of it. Elena, I can't lose you again. I know you don't want me and I respect your decision but that doesn't change how I feel"

Elena got up from the chair and stood by the window. "I wanted to chose you Damon."

"Wait, What? I'm confused. You wanted to chose me but you chose Stefan instead? I don't understand. After everything he did to you and put you through. After everything I did to protect you and to keep you alive. You still chose him and threw me away like an old used rag"

"I know you'll never understand Damon and I don't expect you to." Elena said

"Then Elena please, help me enderstand." Damon said his eyes pleading.

"I'm not sure I can Damon."

"Try"

"Stefan is safe and familiar. Our relationship doesn't require any thought or effort." Elena looked at Damon, "Everything with you takes effort. You make me a different person. You make me look inside myself, question myself. You challenge me, you change me Damon. You are everything I need." Elena said looking into Damon's eyes with love and tenderness.

"So then what's the problem." Damon asked still not understanding.

"The problem is you're everything I need but everything I don't want."

"Wow! Why don't you really rip my heart out Elena it might be a little less cruel." Damon said.

Elena shook her head, "That came out all wrong. I'm so confused Damon. Everything is jumbled around in my head. I'm not thinking straight."

Damon let his hurt and anger subside. As a human Elena had always been very open and honest about what she was thinking and feeling. Now, as a vampire, all of that was amplified. "Elena you need to feed. That will help. Everything will become more clear. Stefan and I will help you through all of this."

Elena nodded and started to cry. "I never wanted this Damon. I never wanted to be a vampire." Elena covered her face with her hands and began to sob.

Damon took Elena in his arms and held her as she cried. Trying to comfort her. "Shhh, Hey it's going to be ok. We'll get you through this. Nothing has really changed. You'll still be you. Just less fragile." Damon said trying to get Elena to smile, "Besides if Caroline could get through it you sure as hell can."

Elena nodded still clinging to him. "That's true." She said sniffing.

"Elena look at me." Elena looked up at him, "You have been through more than anyone I know and you have come through it all just fine. This is nothing. Just a change in diet and look at it this way millions of women around the world would give anything to stay 18 for the rest of their lives."

Elena smiled sadly at Damon. She was starting to feel a little better. "I'm sorry for what I said. It came out all wrong."

"I know. It's ok." Damon said.

"I need to go talk to Stefan. He must feel horrible."

Damons heart sank. He let go of Elena but put a hand on her cheek. "It really is going to be ok." What he really wanted to to tell her was that he loved her and would always love her but he kept it to himself. She'd made her choice. He had to live with it. Soon she'd remember everything.

Elena nodded. "I better go."

"Yeah I'm sure he's waiting."

Damon watched Elena walk to the bedroom door. Before she left she looked back at him and said, "Thank you Damon."

Damon smiled his crooked smile. "You're welcome Elena."

Elena smiled sadly back. She knew he was hurting but her choice was made. She turned and left the room.

"I love you Elena." Damon whispered into the dark and empty room.


	2. Chapter 2

Change Chap2

Damom chose not to spend a lot of time at home after bringing Elena to the boarding house to stay. He'd leave early in the morning and come back late after dark. When he did chose to stay home he stayed in his room alone.

Elena had fed. Damon didn't know the details of her diet exactly but what little he'd seen of her she seemed happy enough.

Early one morning, not long after she'd finished the transition Damon had just finished hih shower. when he walked back into his room, wearing nothing but a towel, Elena was waiting for him.

"Hello Elena. I'm surprised Stefan let you out of his sight."

"We need to talk." Elena said ignoring Damon's sarcasm.

Damon shrugged, "Ok. Mind if I put on some pants first?"

"Not at all. I'll wait." Elena said and sat in Damons favorite chair.

Damon stood and looked at her for a minute. When it was obvious that she wasn't going to turn around or close her eyes he unwrapped his towel. It was, after all, his room.

"You couldn't have put your clothes on in the bathroom?" Elena asked.

"It's my room. You're the one who came in uninvited. Now what do you want?" Damon asked being rather harsh

"What's with all this hostility?"

"I'm hungry."

"Here." Elena tossed him a blood bag. "Drink up you're gonna need it for our talk."

"So, How are you doing? You know, after everything." Damon asked.

"Fine I guess. I feel like me. Only different." Elena watched Damon finish drinking. "Better?"

"Much. So what's on your mind?"

Elena stood, walked to the window and parted the heavy drapes to look out. She jumped when a ray of sun hit her fingers.

"Still no daylight ring huh?"

"No Bonnie won't do it." Elena said rubbing her fingers. "Anyway, you've been lying to me Damon." Elena accused.

"Excuse me? I have no clue what you're talking about."

"Three summers ago Damon. The night Matt and I broke up. The night my parents died. You were there. We talked. You thought I was Katherine. I'm remembering Damon."

"What else do you remember Elena?" Damon asked taking a step closer to her.

"The first time you told me you loved me." Tears were falling from Elena's eyes. "Why Damon? Why did you take that away from me? Especially our first meeting."

"Would it have made a difference? Then or now? Had I let you remember me. What would you have done?"

"I don't know Damon. Maybe we could have been friends. Who knows what could have happened. We may have skipped this whole mess." Elena said through her tears.

"I wasn't looking for friends Elena. Stefan didn't even know I was here."

"Damon why didn't you ever say anything? Why didn't you make me remember? You could have said something on the phone the other day."

"Would you have believed me?"

Elena looked into Damon's eyes and thought for a minute. "I don't know, probably not." She said with a heavy sigh.

"Then what good would it have done?"

"None I suppose but what about the other thing? That night in my room. You had my necklace and you told me you loved me. Then you took that away too. Why Damon?"

"That was the right thing to do Elena. You just had to hear it the forget it. I needed to say it just that one time. Until it slipped out at Esthers party."

Damon and Elena stood locked in each others gaze for a long time. Until Damon took another step closer , combed his fingers through her silky hair and put his hand on her soft cheek. "What I don't understand Elena is why you can't admit that you feel something for me."

Damon." Elena said and tried to step away from him.

"Don't Elena, Not again. Not again. Stop avoiding it. You didn't kiss me like that in Denver without there being something behind it."

"Damon I made my choice. Just accept it."

"I have accepted it Elena. You're the one who came to me wanting me to explain myself. You could have just let it go. So let me ask you why. Why Elena?Why did you come up here? Like you said, your choice is made. Sure you and I met first and yes I have been in love with you for a long time. So what. It doesn't make any difference now does it? You didn't want me." Damon was frustrated and raising his voice.

"I just needed to know." Elena said looking away.

"Why? If you've made your choice what does it matter now?" Damon yelled.

"Because I love you Damon." Elena looked at Damon with pain in her eyes. "I've loved you all along." She confessed in a whisper.

Damon felt as if he'd been punched in the stomach. "Yet you still chose Stefan. After everything." Damon looked away. He didn't want her to see the hurt in his eyes. "After everything I did to keep you safe. All those months I spent loving you. You felt the same way and said nothing."

"I'm sorry Damon."

"You're sorry?" He said with a look of disgust in his face. "You kept me hanging for months, 'I don't know Damon, I don't know how I feel Damon' Why couldn't you just tell me? and please don't say I don't know."

"I was scared I guess. Not ready to admit it to myself much less to you." Elena admitted.

"What were you scared of?" Damon asked softening his tone.

"Everything you made me feel. Just how intense my feelings are for you," Elena said stepping closer to Damon. "Just how much you consume me when we're together. How my every thought is of you and nothing else matters."

"Why does that scare you? Isn't that what loving someone is all about?"

"I wasn't ready to feel all of that. It just seemed way too complicated. After everything I'd been through I didn't want complicated. I wanted simple, easy."

Damon too Elena in his arms. Taking in the soft scent of her perfume and the feel of her in his arms. He bent to kiss her, with his lips brushing hers he said, "You want simple and easy? Well it's about to get a whole lot more simple and easy for you Elena." and pushed her away from him. Elena stumbled backward and fell on to the bed.

"Damon what the hell!" Elena exclaimed

"You've played with my heart enough Elena. I'm not going to sit around any longer waiting for you to decide. Waiting for you to get bored with my brother or for him to go on another ripper rage. You knew how I felt about you for a long time and you still threw me aside and now you tell me you loved me all along? Well how does it feel sweetheart! Get out! GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!"

Elena was too stunned to move. She'd never seen Damon so enraged. For the first time she was frightened of him.

"Did you not hear me Elena! I said, GET OUT! NOW!"

This time Elena didn't hesitate. She got up from the bed and was gone in a flash. Damon sat down and turned on the T.V. very satisfied with himself.


	3. Chapter 3

Change Chap 3

Elena was going crazy cooped up all day while everyone else was out and about. She wanted to go back to school and finish her senior year but she had accepted the fact that it wasn't possible. At least not until she was able to go out in the daylite and that wasn't going to be possible until Bonnie got over what ever it was that was bothering her.

They had been best friends most of their lives but in the days since Elena had died then undied Bonnie had changed. Bonnie, being a witch, had a natural dislike for vampires. She had developed a friendship with Stefan out of respect for Elena and put up with Damon simply because he was there and wasn't going away, but she couldn't get over Elena becoming a vampire.

Stefan was still trying to talk some sense into her but making little progress. "Bonnie she's still Elena. She's not drinking human blood and she's in control." Stefan said trying again to reason with Bonnie.

"I can't Stefan, She's not Elena anymore. I wish she'd just stayed dead." Bonnie said and walked away.

"What am I going to do Stefan?" Elena fussed later that evening. "I'm sick of this house. I'm tired of going out at night. I want to be normal again. I want to feel normal again."

"I'm sorry Elena. I'll keep trying." Stefan said and tried to give Elena a hug but she stopped him dead in his tracks.

"Just leave me alone Stefan." Elena went out the the rose garden which had become her night time refuge. she liked to sit and think about her unfortunate situation. which was what she was doing when Damon's voice made her jump.

"Trouble in Stefanville?" Damon teased.

"Shut up Damon!" Elena snapped

"Hey sorry, I only come out here because I thought you'd like to know that I might have a solution to your problem but I guess not. See you around Elena." Damon said and turned to walk away but Elena stopped him.

"Damon wait, I'm sorry. I'm just so frustrated."

Damon sat next to Elena on the cool cement bench. "They really are beautiful aren't they? The roses I mean."

"They are. Are they very old?"

"Some of them. Most of the original plants have died but a lot of these started from clippings from the originals. My mother would spend hours out here."

"How come you guys never talk about her?" Elena asked

"Stefan never really knew her and after almost 2 centuries the memories get a little scetchy." Damon said with a sad smile.

"Yeah I suppose they would."

Damon and Elena sat in awkward silence for a few minutes. "So you said you might have a solution to my problem?" Elena said breaking the silence.

"Yep, I know someone who knows someone who may be able to help. There's just one problem."

"What's the problem?" Elena asked.

"We have to go to New Orleans." Damon said

Elena sighed, "Ok, at this point I'm willing to do anything."

Damon decided to keep his sarcasticcomments to himself for a change, instead he put his arm around Elena. "It's going to be alright. One way or another we'll get this worked out."

Elena put her head on Damon's shoulder. "I hope so Damon."

They left the next evening as the sun went down and drove as far as they could before it started to come back up again.

"We'll have to stop and spend the day in a motel." Damon said. So far the trip had been pleasent. Both Damon and Elena had put aside their hostilities. They realized that they needed to work together if this trip was going to be a success. Elena desperately needed it to be a success. Damon hoped for his own selfish reasons that it was a success.

"Are you hungry?" Damon asked once they got settled in their room.

"Hungry and thirsty."

Damon gave Elena a couple blood bags to satisfy her thirst and went out to grab some things from a store he saw down the street. When he got back to their room Elena was sound asleep. Damon couldn't help but sit and watch her sleep. She was beautiful, angelic and he was in love with her. He couldn't help it, couldn't stop it and couldn't change it. Even if he wanted to.

Damon's phone started buzzing in his pocket. Looking at it he saw it was Stefan calling. Damon went out into the hall so he wouldn't wake Elena.

"What Stefan?"

"Where are you?"

"On a road trip. Too bad you couldn't come along. Oh wait, you weren't invited." Damon enjoyed antagonizing his brother.

"Is Elena with you?"

"You know she is we left a note." Sometimes Damon thought he had the dombest brother on the planet.

"Is she ok?"

"Elena's fine. Nicely tucked in our bed in our room. Gotta go. Call ya later." Damon hung up on Stefan and turned off his phone.

Elena was awake when Damon went back into the room. "Hey I didn't wake you did I?"

"No not really." Elena looked at Damon for a moment then asked. "Damon why are you being so nice to me? I was horrible to you. I deserved everything you said to me the other day."

"You know why just have something to eat." Damon said avoiding the question.

"Damon what if they doesn't work?"

"Don't worry Elena it's going to work."

Elena walked to Damon and took his hand. "But Damon what if we don't find this person or they can't do what we need them to do?"

Damon kissed Elena's hand. "Then I'll give you my ring."

"I can't let you do that Damon. I can't let you limit yourself for me."

"You just don't get it do you? Elena I'd do it if it makes you happy because I love you. Everything I've done since I met you has been for you."

Elena gave Damon a questioning look. Damon rolled his eyes, "Ok maybe a few times it may have seemed like I was lashing out."

"Damon you killed my brother."

"He came back didn't he? Look my point is," Damon took Elena's face tenderly in his hands and looked into her eyes. "My first priority hasalways been and always will be you. I'm not going to hid it anymore Elena, or pretend I don't feel what I feel."

"Damon that's not fair."

"Why? Because it makes you question your choices? Makes you feel guilty? Makes you want to change your mind?"

"Yes, no, maybe, I don't know. Damon can we just get some rest before we have to leave again please." Elena said obviously flustered.

Damon sighed. Elena was impossibly stubborn. "Yeah sure. You go ahead and take the bed."

"Come on Damon we're both adults. I'm sure we can share the bed."

Damon couldn't sleep so instead of tossing and turning he got up and paced the room but that too was driving him crazy. He checked his watch and looked out the window. The sun was going down. Aonther hour and they could leave. Damon grabbed his jacket and car keys. He figured he might as well gas up the car since he was awake. While driving to the gas station he saw a run down bar that looked deserted and he was thirsty. It had been a while since he'd had fresh 98.6. when he walked in the place really was deserted except for the bartender.

"Quiet evening." Damon said.

"They are all quiet. What can I get you?"

"A vein"

"Wha.."

The bartender didn't have time to react Damon was on him before he had a chance. "Now I'm not going to kill you because I'm pretty sure my girl hasn't had the pleasure of draining the life out of someone yet. I just want a taste." Damon sank his teeth into the bartenders neck and drank until he had his fill. "Is there an office in this dump?" The bartender nodded and pointed to the back of the bar. "Now you're not going to make a sound. I'm going to lock up and as far as anyone is concerned this place is closed. Damon said looking deep into the bartender's eyes. Compelling him.

When Damon get back to the motel Elena was frantic, "Damon where have you been! I've been trying to call you. I thought something had happened to you." Elena ran into Damon's arms.

"I'm fine Elena. Are you ready? I've got a surprise for you."

"Yes I'm ready. What's the surprise?" Elena asked picking up her bag and following Damon to the car.

"Just hush and wait." Damon said with a laugh.

Elena didn't know why Damon would be stopping at a closed bar but this wasn't the time they had to hit the road. He'd wasted enough time already. "Damon is now really the time for a drink? Besides I think the place is closed."

"Ah yeah your surprise is inside. Come on." Damon took Elena's hand and lead her inside.

"Damon what's going on?" Elena asked alittle annoyed.

"Breath deap through your nose." When Elena started to protest Damon put a finger to her lips."Through your nose Elena."

Elena rolled her eyes but did as Damon said. When she smelled the blood her eyes snapped open wide, she turned in the direction the scent was coming from, bared her fangs and hissed. In the blink of an eye she was gone. Damon smiled to himself.

Damon walked into the office just as Elena finished off the bartender. "I'm guessing that was your first live one?"

"The only human blood I've had is what you've given me, until now."

Damon gave Elena a blank look. "So you've been following the Stefan diet?"

Elena nodded without saying anything. Damon smiled "Well, there's no turning back now."

"I don't want to Damon. I know what I want."

"Well that will make my brother really happy." Damon said. "Ready to go? We're burning moonlight."

"Damon I wasn't just talking about my diet." Elena said.

"I don't understand Elena."

"I'm talking about you Damon. Wanting you." Elena said stepping closer to Damon.

"Don't play with me Elena. This has been a great trip so far. Don't ruin it."

"I'm not playing Damon." Elena said stepping closer again.

Damon tried to resist her. He was using all of his will power but it wasn't working. Her dark brown eyes locked on his, pleading with him to believe that she'd finally chosen him. Both were holding their breath. Waiting for the other to say something. To do something. Anything.

"Damon." Elena said reaching out to put her hand on Damon's unmoving chest.

Damon's reaction was instant he pulled Elena into his arms and kissed her with all the love and passion he felt for her and she kissed him back with everything she had to give.


End file.
